Blackhole
25 years after the original mission of the Star Force, a black hole approaches the Earth and threatens to destroy the entire solar system in one year's time. Most of humanity has migrated away to colony planets and are now being attacked by a mysterious enemy. With the Earth Defense Forces scattered, only one ship remains to call upon: the Argo. Captain Derek Wildstar is called out of retirement to lead a new Star Force, consisting of both veterans and new recruits, including Wildstar's own daughter, Miyuki. The rebuilt Argo launches into space, carrying a deep secret that no one suspects... This unique webcomic series was the centerpiece of starblazers.com for two years, from August 2005 to August 2007. By all enthusiastic accounts, watching it unfold online was as suspenseful as watching the original series on television. Now that it is finished, Star Blazers Rebirth can be enjoyed time and time again just like its predecessor. Its 18 chapters are all accessible via the links below, and new readers are encouraged to share their thoughts with us by writing to support@starblazers.com By Tim Eldred Hello again, everyone! By now you know that the "Making of an Anime Legend" documentary is on sale right here, and I hope you'll all get to see it before long. Meanwhile, the time has finally come to announce the next big Star Blazers project from Voyager Entertainment, and this time it's one you won't even have to pay for! I've had a terrific time writing for this site over the last few years, but with the desire to do something really special to commemorate Star Blazers' 25th anniversary, we'll be changing gears and bringing you something altogether different starting August 1st. Mark your calendars and start counting down to... I once heard a lecture from the physicist, Stephen Hawking, regarding black holes. He said that a civilization like the Earth's was not likely to survive for long as it is, but he also said that there were many worlds like Earth in the cosmos. I once read a short SF tale about Earth being in danger, and its citizens embarked on a mass exodus to the stars for another world to colonize. I suggested to Producer Nishizaki that he should put these two ideas together. He liked it, so this is what will bring Yamato back again. --Shintaro Ishihara, 1994 STAR BLAZERS REBIRTH! 25 years after the original mission of the Star Force, a black hole approaches the Earth and threatens to destroy the entire solar system in one year's time. Most of humanity has migrated away to colony planets and are now being attacked by a mysterious enemy. With the Earth Defense Forces scattered, only one ship remains to call upon: the Argo. Captain Derek Wildstar is called out of retirement to lead a new Star Force, consisting of both veterans and new recruits, including Wildstar's daughter, Miyuki. The rebuilt Argo launches into space, carrying a deep secret that only Wildstar suspects. As this new Star Force learns to work together, they must confront unexpected enemies from the Argo's past battles. They will also learn that Desslok is still alive, something that was never revealed to the world at large. Ultimately, they will have to face the deadly black hole itself, and all the anger and hatred of everyone who fell in battle against the original Star Force. If any of that sounds familiar, pat yourself on the back for paying attention. I've just described the plot that was developed a little over ten years ago for Space Battleship Yamato Rebirth, a revival movie that Yoshinobu Nishizaki wanted to make for the loyal Japanese audience. For reasons best known to him, the project did not solidify. However, enough of the story details leaked out for us to take up the charge on this side of the globe. Although the Cold War has ended, chaos among people has taken its place. We want to focus on how youths would live and survive in an age of chaos. On the other hand, we also want to illustrate how wonderful our planet Earth really is. --Yoshinobu Nishizaki, 1994 I personally had the honor of drawing Star Blazers comic books for Voyager Entertainment around the same time Yamato Rebirth was in the planning stage, and I was looking forward to the new story as much as anyone else. It never occurred to me then that I might one day be in a position to bring that story to life, and now that time has come. Even as you read these words, I'll be returning to the drawing board to begin the task of bringing Rebirth into the realm of Star Blazers the best way I know how: as a comic strip! Starting August 1st, you'll be able to read it right here on this very website, in a series that will run for as long as it takes to tell. A future generation faces dark times. The fate of not only the earth but the cosmos itself is at stake. Although Yamato is the spirit of Japan, the new Space Battleship Yamato will be the means to save all of humanity. Producer Yoshinobu Nishizaki is making this new version to create a better civilization. We need to have the courage to use the right tools at our disposal to make that future come true. --Shintaro Ishihara, 1994 Not having been at the table when Nishizaki and his crew conceived this story, I can't pretend that my vision will precisely match theirs. To the contrary, I have only their initial concepts to build upon since no detailed plot or script has ever been made public. So, of course, I can't ask for this to be seen as a legitimate entry into the Space Battleship Yamato saga (especially since I'm not authorized to create one). Star Blazers, on the other hand, is a somewhat different animal. When my Studio Go partners and I created the Star Blazers comic books back in the 90s, this was the approach we took. The Star Blazers continuity differed from Yamato and offered different storytelling opportunities. Fortunately for us, our readers were open to this concept, and kept coming back for all 11 issues. I can't tell you how many times we wished we could have continued it... But that's the past. It's a new day, and a new adventure is ready to unfold. I can assure you that I've done my homework for this project, and I've woven the story threads created by Nishizaki & company into a pretty complex tapestry. But in a way, I had little to do with it. All the best stories tend to write themselves, with the author functioning as a sort of idea-filter, and that's exactly what's been happening here. So point your web browser this way on August 1st and come along for the ride. I can promise you, it's going to be something special. Meanwhile, here is a look at some of the characters who will soon be off to outer space.Rebirth is set in the year 2220, 21 years after the first Yamato story and 17 years after the story of the last film, "Final Yamato". A wandering, cascade black hole is approaching the Solar system, and will surely destroy all life on Earth. The decision has been made to evacuate Earth's entire population. According to the official website for the film 6, the planet to which Earth's population is being moved is called Amahr, ruled by Queen Iriya, some 27,000 light years away in the Sairam star system. When the film opens, that task is already under way. Amahr is part of an interstellar alliance. Other primary member nations are Etos, Frihde, Beldel, and the powerful and mysterious SUS. The SUS are opposed to Earth's emigration, for reasons of their own. Unknown to the rest of the Alliance, the first two Earth emigration fleets are attacked and destroyed by SUS forces. Yuki (Mori) Kodai was the captain of one of the battleship escorts, and is presumed lost. The SUS deceive the rest of the Alliance security council into thinking that the Earth fleets have attacked Alliance ships without provocation. The council therefore votes to authorize attacks on Earth vessels. Back at Earth, news of the attacks are received, and the Yamato is resurrected from the Aquarian ice field to lead the escort for the third emigration fleet. It is captained by Yuki's husband, Susumu Kodai. Aboard the newly rebuilt Yamato is an almost entirely new crew. The old crew members are assigned to other posts. Shiro Sanada, the Yamato's old Science and Technology Group leader, is now the Commander of the Earth Defense Force (EDF). Daisuke Shima's younger brother, Jiro Shima (age 27) is Sanada's adjultant. The other familiar characters -- Aihara, Ota, Nambu, and Kato -- are not mentioned. Dr. Sado and robot Analyzer remain on Earth to assist with operations there. Old enemy-turned-friend, Leader Deslar, and his Gamilas Empire, do not appear.7 The drama centers around the Yamato saving the emigration fleet from Alliance attacks, and the tension between the SUS and the other Alliance members (such as planet Etos). The SUS's deception is exposed, and Yamato steps in to protect Amahr and the other friendly nations of the Alliance. Ultimately, as the Yamato returns to Earth to assist with the last of the emigration fleets, the cascade black hole tears into the Solar system, and the true nature of the SUS is revealed.